Imagine a liquid fertiliser that has been specifically designed to nurture and promote the most important creatures in the soil, whilst also supplying a comprehensive food source for the developing crop. This dual functionality has often been promised but rarely achieved as a cost-effective liquid fertiliser. The soil organisms in question are mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). These effective root-extending fungi are the most decimated of all the soil-life stars (numbers are down to just 10% of what they should be) and yet they are our most productive allies when striving to build both soil fertility and profitability. (more…)

At a recent Acres USA conference I was particularly impressed with a keynote presentation by the International, bestselling author, Jeffrey Smith. His integrity shone through and his research was exceptional. He agreed to the following interview and we spent a fascinating afternoon together. Jeffrey is the world’s foremost expert on the dangers of GM food. He has consulted with world leaders on this issue and has been often quoted in leading media outlets including the New York Times, The Washington Post and Time Magazine. (more…)

We are often asked why it is necessary to invest in chelated products rather than simple sulphate-based trace elements so we finally decide to invest some research funds in a comparison. We decided to use manganese as an example as this is a deficiency we see so often when analysing dairy pasture. It is also a common deficiency in many horticultural crops, particularly strawberries, where several of the more recent hybrids seem to struggle with manganese uptake. (more…)

The Aquavate™ water treatment unit marketed by NTS was the recipient of an award for “world leading innovation” and technology exports at the recent Water Industry Alliance Awards lunch. The Aquavate™ unit is a unique technology which softens water without the repeated use of salts and it is maintenance-free and does not require a power source. However, the water softening capacity is just one of the many benefits of this revolutionary device. (more…)

NTS Soluble Humate Granules™ have proven to be the flagship NTS product in a massive range of options. In over 40 countries they are our most successful biological input. All that we need to do is encourage a grower to trial the combination of soluble humates with their fertiliser and they will immediately see the benefits (and they have often now begun their journey into biological agriculture). (more…)

There are a great many growers who recognise that their current farming practices are not sustainable. They have seen the degradation of their soils and the increased need for fertilisers and farm chemicals. They have often felt discomfort at applying toxic chemicals to their livestock, soils and plants, but above all they have seen their profitability diminish in the face of constantly rising prices. They often feel shackled to the spray rig and believe there is no escape from the treadmill. However, there is an escape and this “alternative” is rapidly becoming a major force in farming. Biological agriculture is currently the flavor of the month, in fact, it may well prove to be the saviour of 21st Century agriculture. (more…)

Crop and soil monitoring is an integral part of the biological farming approach. In fact, it could be argued that the comprehensive and integrated testing technologies involved are what differentiates biological agronomy from conventional agronomy. I have argued for years that this proactive monitoring approach is infinitely superior to the simplistic “record and react” response of the chemical system. During 15 years in the field I have seen nothing that sways me from that opinion. The seven essentials for proactive response include the following: (more…)

Two years ago, during one of my seminar tours to South Africa, a group from the Woolworths supermarket chain attended our four day Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture Course. Immediately following the course the principal of this privately owned organisation (not the Australian Woolworths) decided that all of his growers should learn to grow biologically, whether they liked it or not, and so began a revolution in large scale food production. It was a unique experience, over the next couple of years, to train growers who had not necessarily chosen to attend the course, but we managed to win all of them over and inspire some enthusiasm for this new, sustainable approach. (more…)